Hello my darling dears! Welcome back to Pink Tutu Travels, your monthly dose of time travel, tutus, and all things ballet! This month, we're jetting back to a bygone era, the exciting, opulent world of 19th century London, where ballet was just beginning to bloom into the grand spectacle we know and love today.
Now, you know how much I adore my pink tutu, right? Well, my latest vintage find has got me utterly smitten! A pale pink satin tutu, with delicate hand-stitched silk flowers, nestled amongst the dusty treasures in a hidden antiques shop in Derbyshire. Just picturing it on the cobbled streets of Victorian London, it’s utterly breathtaking!
Magic Meg, my trusty pink sparkling shire horse with golden hooves, is a dream to ride, and we took a brisk canter across the Derbyshire countryside to my time travel hub. (Yes, I have a secret underground tunnel leading to a futuristic time travel device, but that’s another blog post entirely!) This time, we set the dial for January 2031, a mere hundred years ago in this time-travelling context.
We emerged with a little flourish in a bustling, smoky London, just outside the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Now, this theatre is iconic in ballet history, don’t you think? It was here in 1789 that the first full-length ballet, 'La Fille Mal Gardée', was premiered, and just last year, 2030, they celebrated their 241st anniversary! It truly has a wonderful history, so you can imagine how excited I was to get the real taste of Victorian era theatre.
Just stepping out of the carriage, I was overwhelmed by the smell of coal and horses, mixed with a fascinating mix of smells of oranges, herbs, and woodsmoke – all very unlike my little village! But oh, the beautiful architecture - ornate and imposing buildings everywhere, gaslights sparkling against the late afternoon London sky – truly captivating. I took in my surroundings for a minute and grabbed my rucksack (just like every true ballet time traveller should, I think), then Magic Meg whisked me to the heart of the theatrical district.
Now, London's ballet scene in 19th century was about to take a massive leap forward. Imagine, at this time, it was quite unusual to find professional ballerinas from France and Italy joining a ballet company – now they were embracing a cosmopolitan approach, even making up their own ballet stories!
You won’t believe what was happening on this very day – the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden hosted the most incredible production, Giselle, featuring a brilliant dancer named Carlotta Grisi, one of the most famed ballerinas of that era. This show, the pinnacle of Romanticism, had the whole city buzzing. Can you believe that even then, audiences were captivated by the sheer magic of storytelling through dance, with breathtaking costumes and soaring music? Just like us today!
But what really struck me was the sense of tradition – they were fiercely dedicated to ballet. They were not only keeping the art alive, but they were building a whole new set of conventions that would shape the world of ballet for generations to come. I'm talking pointe shoes (the first patent for a pointe shoe design was made around 1820, funnily enough!) and dramatic, emotional storytelling, truly pushing the boundaries of expression in ballet.
Later in the day, after my dance lesson with some local dancers, (you know, just to stretch and stay fit!), I went to a fantastic little shop overflowing with vintage dance costumes. Imagine my delight at finding gorgeous ballet shoes from this period - such an incredible collection of beautiful materials. I got to see, up close, the incredible lace trim, embroidered ribbons, and even hand-sewn pearl embellishments – oh, I’m completely enamored with Victorian ballet fashion, I truly can’t wait to show off my collection in my next blog post!
There was also an absolute gem: a very rare print of an actual performance of La Sylphide. This is a beautiful ballet that captures the story of a forest sprite and her passionate pursuit of love, and in that time period, it truly pushed the boundaries of dancing! Oh, how I long to see such a beautiful work on stage – you can imagine how carefully this is now sitting in my precious rucksack, safe and sound, destined for my next fashion shoot!
Overall, my time travel adventure was magical. I truly felt the connection with my ballet heroes and heroines from the past, the spirit of tradition, and the sheer passion and energy for dance. I could barely hold back the urge to join in myself – and who knows, perhaps a tutu-clad Emma will be a staple in London's theatre scene one day!
And speaking of tutus... did I mention the pink satin number I found earlier? I am already dreaming up a dance routine for a grand ballet performance right here in 19th-century London. Maybe even “Pink Tutu: A 19th Century Ballet” – just imagine!
I can’t wait for you to join me again on my next adventures. As always, my dears, keep those tutus spinning and follow your passion for all things beautiful!
Until next time,
Emma x www.pink-tutu.com
